Conduit fitting



Nv.f12,1929. J. c. BQYTON 1,735,196

CONDUIT FITTING Filed Dec. 2, 192e Patented Nov. 12, 1929 UNITED STATESJOHN C. BOYTON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO CONDUIT FITTING- Application` friedDecember This invention relates to a conduit fitting for use inelectrical wiring installations, the same being peculiarly suited to thesupporting of lighting fixtures, as Will hereinafter appear.

While it is always desirable and often times highly important thatlighting fixtures hang perpendicular, it frequently happens that thefixture support or stud which is rigidly attached to an outlet box orfitting of the conduit system is not Vin a vertical position. In someinstances this non-vertical positioning` of the fixture support or studoccurs inad vertently, especially in connection with poured concreteconstructions where care is not exercised in properly placing andsecuring the outlet boxes or fittings before the concrete is poured; andin other cases, as in factory buildings of the saw-tooth roofconstruction, the aforesaid positioning of the fixture support or studresults from the nature of the ceiling formation, the stud or supportextending from an inclined portion thereof with its axis substantiallynormal to the surface of such portion.

It is the purpose of my invention to provide a fitting by means of whicha lighting fixture may be hung from a fixture stud or other support andadjusted to an absolutely1 vertical position, the connection preferablybeing loose so that the fixture will naturally and automatically swingof its own weight to a perpendicular position, the loose connectionaffording the additional advantage that,

in case the fixture is struck by an object, it will yield to the blow,thus avoiding damage to the fixture or connections, and will resume itsvertical position.

Further objects are to provide a fitting of the aforesaid nature that isrelatively simple of construction, economical of manufacture, convenientof assembly and installation, and that thoroughly encloses the electricwires and offers no obstruction to the running of the wires through theconduits.

These and other objects will appear as I proceed to describe theinvention in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawingwherein an embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

2, 192e. serial No. 152,077.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the fitting; Fig. 2 isa central longitudinal section through the same; Fig. 3 is a centraltransverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectionaldetail, and Fig. 5 an elevational view, of the ring for connecting thesocket members together; Figs. G and 7 are a plan view and sideelevation, respectively, of one of the nuts; and Fig. 8 shows a fixturesupported in a vertical position from an inclined wall or ceilingthrough the medium of the fitting.

According to the present embodiment of the invention, the fitting iscomprised of socket members 1 and 2 which, preferably, are identical andinterchangeable. They are reversed with respect to each other and arearranged in end to end relation, and their adjacent ends are internallythreaded for application to an externally threaded ring 3. So assembled,the members 1 and 2 eect a casing whose opposed ends have openings 4that are surrounded by internal, tapered seats 5.

Disposed within the respective socket members 1 and 2 are nuts 6 and 7which are identical and interchangeable. The outer end portions of thenuts are spherical, as indicated at 8, for rocking engagement with theseats 5, while their inner end portions are provided with acircumferential series of groves 9. It will be noted especially fromFig. 2 that the inner ends of the nuts extend into the opening of thering 3, and ribs 10, that are formed on the interior of the ring, occupycertain of the grooves 9 thereby to restrain the nuts from turning withrespect to said ring. The fit of the inner ends of the nuts within thering 3 is sufficiently loose however as not to interfere with the nutsrocking freely upon the seats 5, and it may be further explained thatinward movement of the nuts is limited by the engagement of the bottomsof the grooves 9 with the ends of the ribs 10. lVhile three ribs areshown in the present instance, and as equally spaced apart about thering 3, the parts may be so designed as to make practical the use of agreater or less number of ribs. rlhe nuts 6 and 7 are tubuiar and thebores thereof are enlarged at their outer ends and internally threadedfor the reception of the threaded ends of t-ubes designated 11 and 12.The v former may consist of a iiXture stud, nipple, conduit section, orthe like, and the latter the stem of a lighting fixture, or a conduitsection. The inner ends of the bores of the nuts 6 and 7 are ofsubstantially the same diameter as the interior of the tubes 11 and 12,and the edges of the nuts surrounding the inner ends of their bores arerounded so as to prevent injury to the insulation of the lectric wiresindicated in dot-and-dash lines at 13 in F ig. 2.

In Fig. 8 a fixture 14 is shown as supported from an inclined wall orceiling 15 (which may be a part of a saw-tooth roof construction)bymeans of my improved fitting, the tubular parts 11 and 12 in thepresent case constituting, respectively, the iixture support and thefixture stem.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that to assemble the partsthe nuts 6 and 7 are deposited in the respective socket members 1 and 2and these members are then screwed onto the opposite ends of the ring 3,the ribs 10 whereof enter certain of the grooves 9 of the opposed nuts.The assembled unit may then be screwed onto the tube 11 by applying thenut 6 to the tube and turning the unit, all parts of the assemblyturning together inasmuch as the nut 6 is keyed to the ring 3 and thering, in turn, is restrained from rotation by the coaction of the twosocket members therewith. The member 12 may then be screwed into the nut7. It is clear, also, that when a fixture is supported by means of thisfitting it will hang in a vertical position and in case it is struck byan object it will yield to a limited extent and thus relievey the partsof the shock that would otherwise be imposed upon them.

While I have described the present embodiment of the invention indetail, I wish to be understood as not limiting myself to the structuraldetails further than is required by the terms of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is A itting of thecharacter set forth comprising an externally threaded ring, opposedsocket members screwed onto the opposite ends of said ring intoengagement with each other so that each acts as a lock nut for theother, said socket members having openings in their outer ends, and atubular nut occupying each socket member and arranged to rock therein inall directions while bearing on the portion of said member surroundingits opening, said ring having parts common to, and cooperating withparts of, both tubular nuts for holding them against turning.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiiiX my singature.

J CHW C. BOYTON.

